Style Guide [part 7]
Validity Issues
Testing for validity is sort of like a spelling and grammar check for the document's code. The DOCTYPE statement declares the rules by which the page is constructed. If a page's code does not conform to the rules of the DOCTYPE, browsers or other devices may misinterpret the code. While browsers tend to correct errors, they don't always correct them correctly (remember §?). Web pages should be constructed for strict compliance even if browsers are constructed to allow for leniency.
Verifying Validity
All pages on Steely Library's Web site will validate as XHTML 1.1 Strict. At the bottom of each page is a graphic for W3C XHTML 1.1. This graphic is a link and by clicking on it, the page will be tested for validity. Most of the errors will be REFC errors and missing end tags. A single missing end can generate a long sequence of error messages. If you don't know how to interpret the error messages, speak to the web administrator. Even if the page looks fine in your browser, that doesn't guarantee it will look correct in others. If the document parse tree is corrupted by a missing end tag or other error, the style sheets may not function properly.
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updated: Saturday, 20-Aug-2005 17:28:56 EDT